Day Seven Manang to Yak Kharkha

Sunrise on Gangapurna

Prayer wheels in Manang

Rick crossing a suspension bridge

Snowy yak

Gangapurna in our background

We were greeted with another gorgeous sunrise with the light on Gangapurna. The previous afternoon had been drizzly and so we snuggled in our sleeping bags until dinner which was delicious and warm in the little room with pot belly stove. Rick had yak chili and I had hot and sour soup. Perfect. We were on the trail by 7a.m. because we had learned that the clear blue skies are in the morning. The trail climbed steeply out of Manang and the views were timeless. The evening rains had softened the soil and so everyone seemed to be out ploughing and planting the spring crop in the terraced fields. The oxen were pulling the ploughs and women then scattered barley seed into the furrows. The oxen come around again and the seeds are tamped down. A small fire of juniper branches for good luck burned in the middle of each field. The vegetation became more scrubby and alpine as we left the Marsyangdi river valley behind and headed towards Thorung Pass. We again passed Tibetans selling jewelry spread out on blankets. I looked, but didn't buy. Our room at Gangapurna hotel was basic....two wooden beds and foam mattresses, a clean squat toilet, but no running water. We had a full bucket for washing and flushing. It was too cold for showers anyway. The snow began mid-afternoon and continued all night. All the trekkers gathered in the small dining room where the little stove gave some warmth. As usual, it was a friendly group...a mix of French, German, Korean, Brits, Dutch, Belgian, Slovaks and a few Americans. At 13,000 feet we were cold and slept with all our clothes. The altitude made breathing a challenge and we both tossed and turned with every breath it seemed. However, we had no  significant altitude sickness symptoms.